Election Night 2009: Seattle Mayor race, McGinn leading

(TwitPic from McGinn campaign – new one substituted 9:13 pm)
Joe Mallahan vs. Mike McGinn – results here. McGinn has a narrow edge in the early going. King County Elections is not planning to release a second vote count tonight, so the next update won’t be until tomorrow afternoon. Meantime, here’s a photo of Mallahan from independent journalist Johnathan Fitzpatrick (the Mallahan party is also at the Edgewater, where we are still at Constantine HQ – they’re two floors down) aka @jjtweets:

Johnathan says Mallahan says he “is hoping to be a successful candidate” — way too early to know how this will turn out. 10:06 PM: Adding a video clip published on YouTube by The Stranger’s crew, with McGinn speaking to supporters:

Howard the bitter November 3, 2009 (8:56 pm)

Hopefully these don’t hold because Seattle (esp. West Seattle) are in for a disaster if McGinn’s pie in the sky plans are allowed in charge. It’s fine for people in Belltown and Capitol Hill to push these ideals, but those of us who live in the real world need real solutions.

CB November 3, 2009 (9:06 pm)

Dear god, no. If that guy gets elected, kiss West Seattle property values goodbye. It will take 2 hours to get downtown when he replaces the viaduct with nothing. Anybody remember the 3 mile backup after the earthquake? Oh I forgot, all of the traffic will “magically” disappear.

Chuck and Sally\'s Van Man November 3, 2009 (9:38 pm)

There was a time when I thought ANYONE would be better than Mayor McCheese. I fear I was wrong.

bl@ster November 3, 2009 (9:39 pm)

Hey you three, aka West Seattle republicans, take a deep breath. McGinn will not single handedly stop the tunnel. He’s even said he doesn’t agree with it, but won’t stand in the way. Get a grip, you G.W. Bush lovers!

I. Ponder November 3, 2009 (9:40 pm)

I think McGinn should not have campaigned on the viaduct as his issue. He actually worked for years in his Greenwood neighborhood to get sidewalks built, and succeeded. That’s not glamorous, but building sidewalks, filling potholes, and keeping the streets safe is really what’s at the core of being Mayor.

McGinn’s a real community activist who’s been involved. Mallahan did not vote in the last 5 elections. Duh?

Although both are in over their heads, I voted for McGinn.

Chuck and Sally\'s Van Man November 3, 2009 (10:35 pm)

Sorry to tell you, Bl@ster, but I’m actually a Democrat. However, I always vote character over party lines and McGinn’s flip flop on the tunnel tells me he just doesn’t have the qualities needed to lead (among other reasons). Oh well. Still better than McCheese (fingers crossed).

Kayleigh November 3, 2009 (10:50 pm)

For the first time ever in a major race, I voted none of the above for mayor. I think Seattle needs a visionary, not someone whose idea of leadership is fixing potholes or creating corporate profits. But hey…

Diane November 4, 2009 (12:34 am)

well I’m wowed, impressed as hell at this brilliant McGinn strategy, reported in Seattle Times:
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“After McGinn spoke to his supporters, an unusual campaign tactic emerged. His campaign handed out pre-paid cellphones and lists of undecided voters to at least 20 volunteers, with instructions to call the voters to see if they had not yet voted.
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If the voters had not yet cast ballots, they were asked to drop their ballots off at five QFC stores around Seattle where McGinn volunteers would be stationed. The McGinn volunteers would then take the ballots to a Sea-Tac post office that stays open until 11:45 p.m. — allowing the ballots to still be postmarked today.
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“We had a plan,” said volunteer Nate Cormier, standing outside the West Seattle Junction QFC, holding a blue McGinn sign and ballots from three voters.
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“If it was close, we’ve got to mobilize.”
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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2010194279_resultseamayor1103.html
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SUPER BRILLIANT!!!

WSB November 4, 2009 (12:59 am)

Heard something about that on the way back from the Dow C event but they didn’t mention West Seattle. That’s definitely “thinking outside the box” – TR

wseye November 4, 2009 (5:27 am)

The mayoral race is still an open question, but either way we won’t have a mayor that serves us well. If McGinn wins, I suspect that West Seattle will start talking about secession before long. His campaign is almost entirely based in north Seattle/Capitol Hill, and reflects those communities, not ours.

Eddie November 4, 2009 (7:11 am)

Received a phone call around 8:30 last night from someone supporting McGinn and reminding us that we could still drop off our ballots until late last night.

Civik November 4, 2009 (7:27 am)

Either way west seattle was going to get the shaft. Tunnel or no tunnel, without a second option to effectively get downtown, traffic is going to get worse.

FromFauntleroy November 4, 2009 (8:15 am)

Does no one understand that the tunnel design includes NO downtown exits? It won’t help anyone “get downtown.” If it served the same function as the viaduct then I would be in favor. Instead it’s a (really expensive) worm hole from sodo to mercer. Look at the map:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/boredtunnelmap.htm

JenV November 4, 2009 (9:05 am)

@ Diane: REALLY? Who on earth would just give their ballot to some stranger? holy crap. what a bunch of dumbasses. gee, I wonder if those ballots ever even made it to the post office?

Diane November 4, 2009 (10:43 am)

I come from the generation of trusting most human beings, and grassroots community volunteerism; so yes, brilliant, and I trust that all those devoted volunteers took the ballots to the SeaTac post office, and McGinn gained more votes, while everyone else just threw up their hands, and said we just have to wait til tomorrow and see what comes in; this impresses me that the person who will possibly be our new mayor is smart and innovative in finding solutions, and he’s showing how to garner support from community to get things done on the fly

JenV November 4, 2009 (11:42 am)

Sorry, my vote is too important to me to entrust to some random stranger just because some politician tells me it’s ok. I would like to live in a supposedly perfect world where people are good and trustworthy and there is no such thing as political corruption…but I am afraid that world doesn’t exist. I see this gambit as a little creepy, and a whole lot self-serving. But isn’t all politics?

LP November 4, 2009 (11:44 am)

I wasn’t crazy about either mayoral candidate, and wasn’t paying too much attention until recently. But now I’m pretty excited about McGinn and I really hope he pulls this off! I like his scrappy, progressive attitude. I like the way his campaign was volunteer run, and that he’s done as well as he has considering he was outspent 3-to-1. He did an amazing job with his ground game, he was very effective, and I think that is quite telling of his leadership style. I like that the viaduct will come down YEARS earlier if he is mayor. That thing is a death trap, I just want it gone ASAP. I don’t think he “flip-flopped” (what a cliched, overused term!!!) on the tunnel, he demonstrated flexibility in a complicated, changing situation. I consider that a good quality. I’m not convinced that the tunnel is the way to go, and I don’t think West Seattle is doomed without it. Anyone remember the Embarcadero in the Bay Area http://bit.ly/1Me5TL ? Or the East Park Fwy in Milwaukee? Everyone thought gridlock would bring these cities to a standstill. Did not happen in either case. In fact some people think it improved overall traffic flow. Here is some interesting info on that: http://bit.ly/2jTEd1 And also, besides the cost-overrun issue, I am still VERY concerned about the environmental & safety impacts of building a tunnel in tidal fill that will liquefy in a seismic event…

LP November 4, 2009 (12:04 pm)

@Diane, I’m with you. Very clever and tenacious. And it’s not like you are entrusting your ballot to a total stranger off the street, it is a volunteer for the candidate you are supporting. Why would they mess with your ballot? I doubt Mallahan supporters would be handing over their ballots to McGinn volunteers, I think that is the point. And yes, it is self-serving, as all candidates who are trying to garner votes and win are.

JayDee November 4, 2009 (12:23 pm)

I got one of the robo calls and what I wonder is why they thought I was undecided? Did King County Elections release the names of voters whose ballots had not been received? I did mail my vote yesterday–I am lazy, not undecided. Also, third-party collection of ballots sounds unwise if not illegal but I am not a voting law expert.

I hope that McGinn loses, but then I voted against McCheese in every election and at least we still have the Monorail to look forward to. The tunnel isn’t ideal, but it is better than the surface option for West Seattle–We’ll just have to make a hard right at Republican Street to backtrack to downtown. :-)

Diane November 4, 2009 (12:51 pm)

nope, ALL politics is not “creepy… self-serving”
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McGinn is a great guy; so is Mallahan; it takes a lot of guts to run for office
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Remember too, McGinn came to WS for how many TR, 5 town hall forums, to meet with anyone in the neighborhood who wanted to ask questions; these were excellent opportunities to meet him and have conversations; Mallahan had zero, and Mallahan was even a no-show at the long scheduled debate at Youngstown; his only WS appearance after primary was day before election walk around meet and greet
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did you attend any McGinn forums to get to know him, ask your questions, share your opinions?

JenV November 4, 2009 (1:31 pm)

not that it’s any of your concern, but I was hedging between McGinn and Mallahan up until recently. I joined McGinn’s facebook group, and followed the news, even listened to the debates on KUOW. I am not an uninformed voter, and I do not vote on emotion just because of liking someone’s “scrappy attitude”. Regardless of who I voted for, I would still be wary of handing my vote to a stranger “volunteer” who obviously has an agenda.

six November 4, 2009 (2:10 pm)

ha. the community activist meets the corporate yuppie. sounds familiar….

wseye November 4, 2009 (2:45 pm)

Diane, enough already. Your hero worship of a pseudo-environmentalist attorney leader is best shared with the rest of the cult.

six November 4, 2009 (2:56 pm)

Yeah Yeah Yeah….

Reduce anyone with an ounce of passion for a political figure to someone who is merely a cult-member.

Your cheap dismissal of another person’s opinion is best shared with you and your smug yuppie friends.

Paul in Gatewood November 4, 2009 (3:06 pm)

“Hey you three, aka West Seattle republicans, take a deep breath. McGinn will not single handedly stop the tunnel. He’s even said he doesn’t agree with it, but won’t stand in the way. Get a grip, you G.W. Bush lovers!”

If that’s the case, why was his main issue during the primary “I will stop this tunnel”? Seems like a pretty big bait-and-switch to me. P.S. not a Republican, never voted for GWB, thank you very much.

JenV November 4, 2009 (3:08 pm)

I can’t tell if I am being called a “smug yuppie” – but if that’s the case, I am laughing my ASS off.

JenV November 4, 2009 (3:23 pm)

and a vote for Mallahan does not a Republican make, FYI. Idjits.

wseye November 4, 2009 (3:29 pm)

If I recall correctly, McGinn got through the primary due to his high support among Republicans… I think they liked his negativism.
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http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politicsnorthwest/2009598563_mayors_race_poll_mallahan_has.html
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“Mike McGinn is a dyed-in-the-wool liberal environmentalist. But his relentless attacks on the $4.2 billion tunnel project to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct — which McGinn calls the largest tax increase in Seattle history — seem to be resonating among Republicans. He got 15 percent support from Republicans, more than any other candidate, including Nickels.”

LP November 4, 2009 (4:38 pm)

Yeah, i don’t vote solely based on emotion or liking someone’s “scrappy attitude” either, JenV. I, like you, am an informed voter and a lot of thought and consideration of fact goes into my decision. I think they are both fine people, I just thought McGinn put more info out there in the form of policy papers, and made himself and his positions (on LOTS of issues besides the tunnel) more available throughout the whole process. I don’t think insulting people is necessary… I can’t speak for others here, but certainly wasn’t trying to say anything negative about Mallahan or his supporters.

six November 4, 2009 (6:04 pm)

keep laughing….there’s a lot of A#$ to get rid of.

Diane November 4, 2009 (6:37 pm)

wow, so many assumptions about people, and what’s with all the negativity and name-calling?
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fyi, I met all candidates, asked lots of questions; was still undecided about mayor until day before ballots were due; I like them both
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and I still think McGinn’s campaign idea after polls closed last night was genius!!!